Bristol burglar jailed after leaving DNA on wine glass

An alcoholic Bristol burglar's thirst for drinking on the job has got him locked up for two years.

Winston Taylor was caught raiding a house in Windmill Hill – and a shop in Totterdown – because his DNA was found on wine and spirits he guzzled while committing his crimes.

The 48-year-old was jailed for two years by Judge James Tabor at Bristol Crown Court.

Prosecuting, Julian Howells said Taylor's first victims were a family who were having their house refurbished in Haverstock Road.

Taylor had worked on the house for two weeks as a labourer, before being laid off, the court heard.

Mr Howells said over night on July 23-24, while they were away on holiday, Taylor forced his way in through the patio doors, which had to be replaced at a cost of £2,000, and stole more than £4,000 in valuables.

Fuelled by a bottle of wine he had started drinking, his haul included a flat-screen TV, laptop computer, camera, cuff-links and jewellery. On hearing their house had been burgled, the family had to cut their holiday short.

Police found the open wine bottle in the kitchen and, when examined, Taylor's DNA was found.

The court heard Taylor's second burglary took place on August 14, at a cafe in Totterdown. He stole a stereo, computer, mobile phones and this time his DNA was found on a bottle of Saki.

When Taylor was arrested on August 22, he was found to have the cuff-links stolen from the Haverstock Road burglary.

At court, he admitted the two burglaries. Mr Howells mentioned a long list of previous convictions, including more than 10 dwelling burglaries before he moved to Bristol.

Mitigating, James Tucker said Taylor had been an alcoholic for some time and was in recovery until his sister died in a car accident, sending him off the rails again. He had also had drug problems in the past.

But Mr Tucker said: "He's not now the same sort of man as he was when he was living in London."

Sentencing him to two years in prison, Judge James Tabor said he had caused the family's "worst nightmares to be realised".

He added: "You know perfectly well, as a seasoned burglar, that they suffer."

Judge Tabor accepted Taylor has made "serious and genuine efforts to sort his life out".